Trace-carrier



UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN ATKINS SHEFFIELD, OF BUENA VISTA, TENNESSEE.

TRAC E-CARRI ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 461,284, dated October 13, 1891.

Application filed January 6, 1891. Serial No. 376,893. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Beitknown thatl, JOHN ATKINs SHEFFIELD, of Buena Vista, in the county of Carroll and State of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trace-Carriers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and eXact description of the invention', such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use it, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part ot this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in trace-carriers; and it consists in the construction hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claim.

The object of my invention is to provide a trace-carrier which will not move upon or become detached from the back-band, which will never allow the trace-chain to become separated therefrom while in operation, nor hang to the gearing on other horses when two or more horses are worked together, nor hang the lines when plowing.

Figure l is a front view of a trace-carrier which embodies my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a modification.

A represents the main plate, which is provided with the slots'B, C, D, E, and F, and which has a hook G, formed upon its lower edge, for the trace-chain to catch upon. This hook is turned inward, as shown, so that nothing can catch upon it while the trace carrier is in use. The Second plate I has a slot J through it and the teeth L, formed upon its upper edge, to pass through the back-band N. The lower end of this plate I is reduced sufficiently in size to pass the slot Fin the plate A and extend down around or back of the hook G. In case the cheaper form of trace-carrier is used the top of the-plate A will be cut away, so that only the slots D E v F will be shown, and the lower end of the plate I will consist simply of a prong O', which will extend down back of thehook'G. In case the plate A (shown in-Figs'. l and 2) is used the lower end of the Vplate I will be made much wider than the one shown in Fig. 3, and through this lower end P will be made an opening 'suiciently large and wide for f In applying the back-band to this trace-carrier the end ofthe back-band is passed through the slots B C D, over the tops of the teeth L, and then through the slots .I in the plate I and the slot E in the plate A, the lower end P or O of the plate I being passed through the slot F in the plate A.

In order to attach and detach the chain the trace-carrieris raised, and then the back-bandis slackened through the slots B C sufficiently to allow'the plate I to be turned at such an angle to the plate A that the hook G is left free to have one link of the chain inserted therein. Then by drawing up on the backband through the slots B C everything is returned to position ready for use.

The hook on the plate A can be made on the front side, in which case the plate I is placed in front and then reversing the hook on the plate A and cutting the plate I to lit it on its reverse side.

ple in operation, cheap in construction, and never allow the chain to become detached y'while the carrier is in use.

Having thus described my invention, I clai 1n- A trace-carriery composed of two independent plates, one of the plates having horizontal slots in its upper end for the passage ot the back-band, its lower end bent outward and then inward and formed into a hook and having a horizontal slot in its outwardly-bent portion, and the other plate having teeth o n its upper end and its lower end provided with an extension adapted to pass through the slot in the outwardly-bent portion of the other plate, the parts combinedto operate in,

the manner shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN ATKINS SHEFFIELD. 'WVitnessesr S. CAWTHON, I. F. PINsoN. 

